Fast Facts: How Fat Are We?

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Quick Facts

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How Fat Are We?

Nationwide (in the 50 states plus the District of Columbia)
63.1 percent of adults are considered overweight or obese (36.2 percent
are overweight; 26.9 percent are obese). Compared to about 15 years
ago, America has put on a lot of weight. In 1995, fewer than 16 percent
of Americans were obese (vs 26.9 percent in 2009), and almost half
of all Americans (47.9 percent) were considered neither overweight
nor obese.

Minnesota is about average compared to the rest of the nation in terms
of the number of people who are considered overweight or obese.

In Minnesota, 63.3 percent of adults are overweight or obese
(37.9 percent are overweight, 25.4 percent are obese). In other words,
Minnesota is about average compared to the rest of the nation in
terms of the number of people who are considered overweight or obese.

Like
other Americans, Minnesotans have gotten significantly heavier in
recent years. In 1995, about half of all Minnesota adults were considered
overweight or obese and only 15.3 percent were considered obese, vs the
current 25.4 percent obesity rate.

The state with the greatest percentage
of people who are either overweight or obese is Mississippi (34.9
percent are overweight; 35.4 percent are obese). The state with the least
percentage of people who are overweight or obese is Colorado (36.7 percent
are overweight; 19 percent are obese) although the District of Columbia
has even fewer people considered obese or overweight.

Note: The Centers
for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) defines overweight as having
a BMI or Body Mass Index of 25.0 to 29.9; a BMI of 30.0 or greater is considered
obese.